Garment retainer



March 22, 1955 D. WENDELL GARMENT RETAINER Filed Nov.` 20, 1952v INVENTOR K jai/a7 ffde/Z.

ATTORNE;

United States Patent() GARMENT RETAINER David Wendell, Baltimore, Md.

Application November 20, 1952, Serial No. 321,580

Claims. (Cl. 2-337) This invention relates to improvements in garment retainers.

The invention is more particularly concerned with a retainer adapted for removable connection with a waistband of a nether garment for exposure on the inner face thereof and for gripping action on the tail portion of a shirt or blouse for retaining same in a neat wearmg position.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a garment retainer embodying in its construction a yieldable garment gripping body member and means engageable with opposite sides of the body member operative for releasably securing the body member in selective operative positions on a waistband A further object of the invention is to provide a garment retainer which is simple in construction, durable, eicient in use, and which is capable of manufacture at relatively low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmental elevational view of the waistportion of a nether garment and disclosing the application of one of the improved shirt or blouse retainers to the waistband thereof.

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but showing the waistband swung upwardly about its connection with the upper edge of the nether garment and showing the connection of the retainer from the inside of the waistband.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view in the plane of line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view in the plane of line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view showing the three cooperating elements in the retainer in separated relation and with such elements being observed in a tilted position.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, designates the main body of the garment retainer which is constructed from natural or synthetic rubber. The body 10 is shown of triangular form in plan as a preference but same may, within the scope of the invention, be of various other forms.

The body 10 is of unitary construction and includes a flat triangular base portion 11, a triangular flange portion 12 projecting from one side of the base portion at the margin thereof and with the laterally outer walls of the triangular flange portion being flush with the edge walls of the triangular base portion, thereby providing a triangular recess 13 of a depth equal to the depth of the said flange portion. Unitary with the base portion and disposed within the recess 13 are a plurality of rib portions 14 whose outer walls are flush with the outer walls of the triangular flange portion.

The rib portions 14 are disposed in spaced parallel relation and in parallel relation to one of the legs of the triangular flange portion and the opposed lateral walls of the outermost of the rib portions are respectively in spaced relation to said one leg and the corresponding vertex of the triangular llange portion. Furthermore, the opposite ends of the rib portion are in spaced relation to the two opposite legs of the said triangular ange portion.

The outer surfaces of the triangular ange portion and the rib portions are substantially in a common plane and these surfaces are adapted to engage a garment, such as Patented Mar. 22, 1955 a shirt or blouse, for retaining same in neat wearing position within the nether garment.

In order to provide an eiective gripping action of the said surfaces, same are roughened as by means of two series of intersecting narrow and shallow grooves thereby providing serrated garment gripping surfaces, as indcated at 15.

The body portion 10 as above described is the sole means functioning to grip the garment to be retained in position.

The improved garment retainer as a unit, however, includes simple means for effecting releasable connection of the garment gripping body member with the waistband W of a nether garment G.

Such connecting means includes a pair of open triangular thin, metallic plates 16 and 17. The plate 16 is removably disposed within the body member recess 13 between the flange portion 12 and the rib portions 14 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 and such plate is provided with a plurality of bendable prongs 13 which are capable of being readily pushed through the body member base 11 and the waistband W.

The plate 17 is provided with a plurality of slots 19 in registering position with the prongs 18. The plate 17 is positioned on the inside of the waistband, the prongs 18 extended through the slots 19 and then bent over as indicated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

It will be appreciated from the above description that a garment retainer is provided which is simple in construction, durable, and eiicient in operation and whose construction renders it capable as a unit for being readily positioned at any desired points circumferentially of a waistband. For effective operation it has been found that two of the retainers at each side of the hip is sufticient.

While I have disclosed my invention in accordance with a single specific structural embodiment thereof, such is to be considered as illustrative only, and not restrictive, tlliescope of the invention being defined in the subjoined c aims.

What I claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

l. A friction tab for use with garments comprising a homogeneous yieldable body member including a at base and a flange projecting outwardly from said base in flush relation to the margin thereof and defining with said base a recess in the body member, a plate disposed within said recess in engagement with one side of said base with its marginal edge adjacent said flange and having a central opening therein, a plurality of bendable prongs on said plate extending through said base and a second plate on the opposite side of said base having a plurality of slots receiving said prongs, and garment engageable friction means on the outer face of said flange.

2. The structure according to claim 1 together with a plurality of spaced parallel ribs projecting from said base within said recess and through said central opening in said rst plate, the outer walls of said ribs and the outer wall of said ange lying in a common plane, and said surfaces being roughened.

3. A garment retainer adapted for removable connection to the waistband of a nether garment and operative to grip an upper garment extending within the waistband, comprising a yieldable body member engageable with the inner face of the waistband and having an upper garment gripping surface, said body member being provided with a recess opening through its gripping surface, a plate removably disposed within said recess and having a plurality of bendable prongs extendable through said body member at the base of said recess and adapted to extend through said waistband when said body member is disposed against the inner face of said waistband, and a second plate adapted to be engaged with the outer face of said waistband and provided with slots receiving said bendable prongs for releasably securing the body member to the waistband.

4. The structure according to claim 3 wherein said garment gripping surface comprises a rst gripping surface extending around said rst plate, and a plurality of second gripping surface areas within and spaced from said first gripping surface.

5. A garment retainer adapted for removable connection with the waistband of a nether garment and being operative to frictionally grip an upper garment extending within the waistband; comprising a homogeneous resilient body member of polygonal form in plan, said body member including a base portion and a ange portion circumscribing the base portion and projecting from one side thereof and the inner wall of said ange and an exposed wall of said base portion dening a recess, a garment gripping projection within said recess upstanding from said base portion with its free end substantially in the plane of the outer face of said iange portion, said face of said ange portion being roughened to facilitate 4 frictional grip thereof with said nether garment, and a plurality of bendable attaching prongs supported by said body member and projecting from the other side of said base portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 824,745 Salisbury July 3, 1906 844,021 Hogan Feb. 12, 1907 848,732 Eisman Apr. 2, 1907 1,801,850 Erwin Apr. 21, 1931 2,079,045 Schlaepfer May 4, 1937 

